unit c Flashcards
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What are geological processes?
A process that could shape the earth’s surface
Identify a geological process that can happen over a short period of time.
erosion & deposition
Identify a geological process that can happen over a long period of time.
rock cycle
What is continental drift?
The slow process of the plates drifting away from each other
Identify if earthquakes, volcanoes, or mountain formation occur at the following plate boundaries: transform, convergent, divergent
Earthquakes happen at any plate boundary. Mountains happen at convergent and so do volcanoes
What does the theory of plate tectonics state
That the plates were once connected and spread apart over millions of years.
Explain how and where lithosphere is formed and destroyed.
It is formed and destroyed at plate boundaries. Sometimes it goes under the surface and melts (destroyed) and it forms from cooling magma going up to the surface
What evidence do we have that supports the theory of plate tectonics?
All of the continents fit together like a puzzle piece and that there were animals and mountains in those areas that are now separated.
Describe the rock cycle. How / where are rocks formed? What are the types of rocks? What rocks form at subduction zones? HINT: Refer to illustration on page 89
There are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock types.
How most rocks are formed starts like this: magma comes up to the surface and cools into igneous rock. Erosion eventually turns that rock into sediments. The sediments pile up and harden into sedimentary rock. That sedimentary rock if under extreme heat and pressure turns into metamorphic rock and if metamorphic rock melts, it turns back into magma.
(metamorphic tends to form in subduction zones)
What is subduction? Describe what happens to the lithosphere. At what plate boundary does this occur?
Subduction is when 1 plate gets pushed under another one. The lithosphere ends up going down into the magma under the surface and melts sometimes. This happens and convergent plate boundaries.
Explain the difference between divergent, convergent, transform plate boundaries. Describe plate movement for each one.
Divergent is where the plates move away from each other and new lithosphere forms. Convergent is where the plates move towards each other and cause subduction and metamorphic rock to form.
And transform is where the plates slide past each other and cause some earthquakes.
Where do earthquakes occur? What are some natural hazards associated with earthquakes?
Earthquakes occur near / at plate boundaries. A natural hazard that is very likely to occur in underwater earthquakes is a tsunami
What are some natural hazards associated with volcanoes?
Earthquakes, landslides
What is the Ring of Fire? What is so significant about this area?
It is an area around the coast of continents that contain a large mass of volcanoes. It is significant because it has a lot of volcanoes and it has 75%+ all of the volcanoes in the world and because eruptions happen here very often
What two forces drive plate motion?
convection and gravity
What is convection? Describe how this occurs and how it drives plate motion.
Convection is the rising of hot and the falling of cold. It affects plate motion because hot magma rises and cools by the time it gets up to the surface so it sinks back down pushing the plates
What is mid-ocean range? Where does this occur?
It is a place where new ocean floor is made and it happens at divergent plate boundaries
What is a trench? where does it occur?
A deep narrow depression on the seafloor. Tends to occur in convergent plate boundaries
How does technology, such as GPS, seismometers, and computer models, help us learn about Earth?
It helps us learn about earth because it helps show the movement. If you place 1 down 100 miles away from each other and wait a lot of years you would come back to see it be 100.1 miles away and it helps us tell what is happening with earth and learn how it moves
Where are aquifers found?
Underground in weak rock such as limestone
What is a landslide? What causes landslides?
A landslide is the collapse of a giant piece of land that slides down and causes even more destruction. It can be caused by human changes or erosion and heavy rain.
D Earthquake:
A sudden release of energy in earth’s interior, which can cause shaking at the surface
D Geological Time
The time periods of thousands, millions, and billions of years.
D Lithospheric Plate
Sections of Earth’s lithosphere
